Soaring High
by FakeAlbino
Summary: Nothing ever comes easy for Ren and Kyoko. What happens when their relationship gets out and Ren must protect Kyoko from jealous fans? Why is Kuu calling him out of nowhere? What do they do when the Imai family comes back into the picture with questionable actions? Will their relationship come crashing down or stand the test of love? Find out in this sequel to 'Break Through!
1. Back to 'Normal'

**STOP! If you haven't read 'Break Through' then please do so before reading this so that you can know what the heck is going on. Other than that, here is the looooong awaited sequel you've all been waiting very patiently for! I'm sorry if you have been notified that I updated twice. I've just had some difficulty uploading this. It may start off slow in this chapter, but believe me when I say I have a LOT in store for your two favorite characters. Oh and can I just express how excited I got when Kyoko's mom entered the scene in the manga? It was like a dream come true... Or I guess a story come true ;) Enjoy! And please review!**

* * *

**Recap of 'Break Through':**

After growing closer in Guam, Kyoko and Ren's relationship took a leap forward after the sudden appearance of Kyoko's mother, Saena Mogami. Saena wanted nothing more than to make Kyoko leave the spotlight of the entertainment industry and move back to Kyoto where she where she could no longer be an embarrassment.

Ren did what he could to protect Kyoko from her mother's evil intentions, such as asking Lory to give her a manager, Ryouta Sato, and being by her side as often as possible. In the beginning it worked, but when Saena gave Lory an ultimatum to either fire Kyoko or be exposed for employing an underage girl without her parent's concent, he was forced to fire Kyoko. He informed Ren so that he could do some damage control but before Ren could even react to the news, Kyoko left the Tokyo highlife behind for a quiet life in Kyoto at the Fuwa Ryokan.

Fuwa Sho's mother, Sayuri, graciously took Kyoko under her wing as the next heir to the inn, but she hesitated when she saw the conflict in Kyoko's eyes. Regardless, Sayuri set up an arranged marriage meeting with Arata Imai. On the surface he and the Imai Family seemed to be the perfect match for Kyoko and the Fuwa family inn, but little did they know that he was employed by Sayuri to give Kyoko every reason to never leave Kyoto. Things went well for Arata until Ren showed up to bring Kyoko home with him after confessing everything to her: his real name, his past, and the depth of his love for her.

Kyoko accepted his love and his help along with Sho and Ryouta's, who showed up at Fuwa Ryokan after hearing the news of Saena's plans. With their plans foiled and his family suffering from it, Arata sought revenge on Saena by killing her and making it look like Sayuri was the one who did it. The team easily straightened things out and returned to their lives in Tokyo... With a few relationship changes intact.

* * *

"U-um… Ren…?" Kyoko's voice shook as she failed to focus on what she was trying to do. Normally her ability to craft excellent food was so easy for her she could do it blindfolded, but the situation she was in hampered this.

"Yes?" his voice was laced with a fake innocence.

"D-do you think you could b-back up? You're too close!" Her eyes tightly closed as she squeezed the knife in her hands and nearly shouted her words. She was standing at a counter in Ren's kitchen trying to prepare dinner for the two of them. Ren had initially thought that she had done this on her own accord, but when he found out that Yashiro had suggested it he decided to tease her mercilessly. He was standing directly behind her with a hand placed on the counter on either side of her. Standing as close as he possibly could without touching her directly, Kyoko was hyperaware of his breath coming down on her neck from above.

"Hm? I'm too close now? But surely we've already been much closer than this." Ren smiled broadly as he leaned down closer to her. Kyoko could feel heat radiating from his body and goose bumps littered her arms as a shiver rose up in her. All of their past kisses ran through her mind and she got lost in the memories until she felt something press against her neck. Having realized that it was Ren's lips, she jumped and accidentally dropped her knife. It clattered to the floor noisily and she hastily tried to bend to pick it up, however Ren was still too close to her for her to move freely. Once she realized she was facing him, she froze. It was then that Ren gave up on his teasing as he observed her dear-in-the-headlights look on her face and he crumpled with laughter. Anger caused by her embarrassment rose up in Kyoko as she crossed her arms and pouted like a child, which only made Ren laugh more even though he tried to stifle it.

Ren wiped a tear from his eye as he bent to pick up the fallen knife. "I'm sorry. I couldn't resist," he placed the knife in his sink and strode over to where she was still pouting. "Here I thought you loved me enough to force feed me all on your own. I didn't know you still needed Yashiro to tell you to do it." He used his grade A acting skills to act wounded by her actions, and of course it worked.

Kyoko stepped closer to Ren in a panic as she waved her arms and shook her head. "W-what!? No! That's what this is about? I'm so sorry, Ren! You know that's not true!"

His façade instantly fell away and a mischievous smile took its place as he grabbed her waving hand and pulled her to him. "Which part isn't true?"

Kyoko's heart nearly pounded out of her chest and her breath was stolen away by his caressing her face. She was obviously dazed as she stared back into the dark eyes of the emperor of the night. "U-um…? W-w-what?"

He leaned his face down to hers, narrowing his eyes. "You said that I know something isn't true. What did you mean by that?" He already knew, but he couldn't help but want to hear the words he had waited a lifetime to hear from her. She had said them time and time again already, but it was never enough.

A lightbulb went off in Kyoko's head as her minions fought to fix her malfunctioning brain. "U-uh… You said that I didn't l-love you enough…" her voice trailed off at the same time a blush rose up on her face.

"And?" Ren asked.

"W-well… T-that was what isn't true… I do l-love you…" She looked down and again her words trailed off to the point that her words could barely be heard. Barely.

Ren's heart sped up at the whispered words, but he did not drop his act. "What was that? I couldn't hear you."

She snapped her head up and shouted, "I said I love you!" Ren could feel her trembling and she forced herself to look at him. She knew she was being ridiculous for being so embarrassed after everything they had been through and all the times she had already said those three words in the two weeks since they returned home from Kyoto. The realization of what it all truly meant had not hit home until they had returned. It was as if she had woken from an amazing dream to find out that it was all reality. So when Ren lifted her chin and lowered his face to hers, her heart stopped beating altogether when their lips met.

It was a short yet sweet kiss and when Ren looked down at her again, his expression had changed once again to one of pure exaltation. He understood how she was feeling as he too felt like he was still living in a dream, but he enjoyed watching her reactions as he teased her. He could hardly believe she hadn't run away in fear and disgust like he had so often imagined her doing. "I lo-"

His words were cut off by the shrill ring of his phone. The atmosphere between the two of them was instantly destroyed and Ren sighed as he answered his phone. "Hello?"

He waited but there was no response on the other end. Perplexed, he hung up the phone. "There was no one there."

Kyoko had just finished washing off the knife that had fallen earlier and started chopping vegetables once more. "Maybe it was the wrong number." _It was good timing though, _Kyoko thought, _any more of that and I'm sure I would have had a heart attack._

Suddenly his phone began ringing again and he decided to check the number before answering. He slightly recognized the number but could not remember where it was from. He had received several calls from the same number earlier in the week but had been too busy to respond to them. Work had picked up significantly once he and Kyoko had returned from Kyoto. "Yes, Tsuruga Ren speaking." Normally he would not give his name, but he decided it would be okay for a number he knew. Even if he didn't know how he knew it.

"_Ah. He answers this time. Hello, Ren_." A deep voice rang out on the other end and Ren instantly recognized it.

"Kuu?" Ren could almost imagine his father getting ready to flick his forehead with an intense look on his face. "I mean, Dad!"

Hearing this, Kyoko stopped what she was doing instantly. She looked over at Ren who was looking at her with wide eyes that reflected her own.

"_That's more like it…_" Kuu threatens. _"So I'm guessing you're alone right now or I'm sure you'd never have actually said that._"

Thinking that Kuu doesn't know about his new relationship with Kyoko, or that fact that she knows everything about Ren's past and his relationship to Kuu, he decided to go along with it.

"Yeah, I am. Why? Do you need me alone?" Ren asked.

"_No. I was just wondering if my adopted son is there too and if I was interrupting anything._"

Ren pauses a moment longer than normal and Kuu waits smugly for him to respond. "I'm sorry, I don't know what you're talking about." He decided to pretend not to know anything for fear that he was just misinterpreting his father's words.

"_Oh? You mean to tell me that Mogami-san isn't at your place and cooking you dinner?"_

_H-how!? _Ren's thoughts shouted.

"_Oh calm down,_" Kuu said, practically reading Ren's mind. "_That boss of yours still contacts me, unlike a certain son. He might have let it slip._"

A heavy sigh escaped Ren's lips and Kyoko puts the stove on low heat so that she could go over to Ren. "Is everything okay?" she soundlessly mouthed to Ren.

He just gazed at her, but his happiness outweighed his exasperation. He placed his hand on her head and ran his fingers lovingly through her hair, twirling a lock around his fingers while he contemplated his next words. "Yes… She's here." Kyoko was shocked to hear him say this and she wondered what Kuu had asked him.

"_Good. Because I have something to ask you two,_" Kuu stated.

"What?" Ren asked as he continued to play with Kyoko's amber hair.

"_Come to America._"

Kyoko's soft strands fell from Ren's hand, "What was that?"

* * *

A man throws a newspaper down on the table in front of him with a headline reading 'Bachelor No More'. The news of Ren and Kyoko's relationship was slowly building in popularity, and this gave anyone who was interested the ability to easily keep tabs on the two of them. The man's chuckle resounded throughout the otherwise silent room. "Interesting choice in title… I guess I have to make that true in more ways than one."

A knock on the door to the man's room broke his scrutiny of Ren's picture. "Imai-sama?"

"Yes?" the man responded to his subordinate.

"The car is here for you, sir. Your plane is waiting on the tarmac," the younger man said with a bow upon entering Kiyoshi Imai's room. "Also, your son has sent a letter from prison for you." He placed the letter addressed to Kiyoshi down on the table in front of him. Kiyoshi gazed at it with a slight interest, looking at the name of the return sender with disappointment – Arata Imai.

"Thank you," Kiyoshi said as he rose from his seat. "What's my ETA?"

"You should be in Tokyo by 10:00 tonight, sir."

Kiyoshi's sinister smile was illuminated by the dim lights of his hallway as he headed toward his car, "Very good."

* * *

**Thank you for reading! Please review and let me know what you think! :)**


	2. Protection

**Let me tell ya! Going from being a student who has maybe 5 classes a week to a full time student teacher takes serious getting used to. Plus I've spent the last week super ill. But that's okay because I'm doing what I love and my everyday is filled with 120 8th graders who I genuinely enjoy teaching math to. Yes. Yes. I teach math. As you can probably tell from my writing, I was never meant to teach English. I enjoy writing (obviously), but my grammar is atrocious. Thank you auto correct! And thank you readers for putting up with it! Please review! I'd love to hear what you think and if you have any suggestions for future plot twists. **

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Last Chapter:

Kyoko is cooking dinner for her and Ren at his apartment when Ren is suddenly contacted by his father, Kuu Hizuri. Without beating around the bush, Kuu demands that Kyoko and Ren fly to America. Meanwhile, Kiyoshi Imai (aka Arata Imai's father) is on his way to Tokyo with one thing on his mind: Revenge.

* * *

"You really expect me to drop everything to fly over there?" Ren asked with a roll of his eyes. In the midst of their rolling, his eyes landed on Kyoko who had abandoned her cooking to stare intently at Ren. She was still trying to figure out what they were talking about, and Ren could see a glimmer of hope in her eyes. It did not take him long to put together the reasoning behind the shine as he knew she longed to hear from her 'dad'. A trip to America to see him and Julie would make her blow her top.

"_I'd say now is as good a time as ever."_ Kuu responded._ "Besides, your mother has been pestering me about meeting her new 'son'. Just wait until she learns that you and that girl are together. She'll be pouting for a month that I kept it from her."_

Ren was surprised that Kuu had not told Julie. "You haven't told her?"

"_I want you to be here when I do. I thought it would be more fun that way."_ Ren could practically hear Kuu's mischievous smile.

_Of course_, Ren scoffed inwardly. _He never makes things easy._ "Still…" Once again he glanced at Kyoko. She was half-heartedly serving up the food she had prepared for them and not-so-secretly eavesdropping on Ren's every word. He turned away from Kyoko so that he could hide his smile. _She's so cute…_ Faking an exasperated sigh, Ren finally responded to his father. "Fine. I will have to check my schedule with Yashiro and see if Kyoko's schedule will allow it because she just got back to work, but… I think we should be able to visit you two for a little while."

Any food serving Kyoko had been doing halted immediately as she whipped her head around to look at Ren once again, eyes wide. She had mixed feelings about the news. She was ecstatic to hear that she will see Kuu again and finally meet Julie, but she knew what this meant for Ren. She knew that he had not seen his mother in years, and while Ren did meet Kuu in Japan, they pretended to be strangers on the outside. Finally they would be meeting as parent and child. The time for Ren to go home had come.

* * *

An hour later Ren and Kyoko were quietly enjoying their dinner while they both digested the conversation with Kuu. Ren was waiting for Kyoko to burst with questions, but she was more concerned with the ramifications of his decision. She was so focused on this that she did not notice Ren had stopped eating to watch her mindlessly eat.

"Excuse me. Earth to Kyoko…" He rested his chin on the palm of his hand and quirked an eyebrow while waiting for her to respond. She did, but only by lazily lifting her eyes to meet his.

"Hm…?" she mumbled. A few seconds passed and then she jumped with realization. "Oh! I'm so sorry! What did you need?"

He continued to watch her flail about, trying to figure out where her mind had wondered off to. "Where did you go?"

"Huh? What do you mean?" A question mark was practically visible above her head. _Where did I go? I didn't go anywhere._

"You've been daydreaming for some time now. I was trying to figure out where your mind wandered off to just now," Ren responded.

_Ah…_ Kyoko's demeanor instantly changed as her thoughts went back to how a trip to see his parents might affect him. "It's nothing really…"

Ren's eyes narrowed at her words, knowing that she was hiding something from him. He stood from his seat and went around the table to her. Kneeling beside her, he placed a hand under her chin to make sure he could hold her gaze. "Kyoko… What is it?"

A slightly blush crept up her neck and she instantly wished she could look away from his intense gaze. "I-It's nothing…" she began to say, but her words faded away with her lack of conviction. "I'm worried," she finally admitted.

_I can tell that much_, Ren thought. "About what?"

"You told me that you wouldn't go see you parents until you were ready to face them… As Kuon…" Kyoko began and realization dawned on Ren along with a warmth in his heart. "I'm just…" she began and stopped, hesitating. A half second passed before she decided to go for it. Squaring her shoulders, she began again, "Are you sure you're ready for that?"

Ren smiled at her. A true, warm smile that only Kyoko was privy to. "I am." He brought his hand from her chin and placed it on her cheek. "I didn't know when I would be ready to face them, if ever. I was drowning in the darkness of Kuon's past… _My_ past. But I seem to have found a pretty good lifeboat somewhere along the way." He playfully ruffled her hair and stood up to clear their dishes. "I'll take that lifeboat home after I clean this up."

Kyoko beamed at him, satisfied with his conviction, and jumped up to follow after him. "Let me help!"

* * *

The next day, Kyoko woke early to head to work. Her manager, Ryouta, offered to pick her up regularly, but she always refused as she was still unused to being spoiled. However, that day she noticed that she was receiving numerous glances and glares from all around. Just as she was about to ask one of them, she overheard two women whispering.

"I can't believe it… _Her?_ With _that_ Tsuruga Ren?" Woman A remarked.

"I know, right? I thought he'd only date glamorous people we could never compare to. But _that_?" Woman B asked pointedly. "I can't begin to understand what he's thinking."

Kyoko ducked her head and fast walked the rest of the way to LME, overhearing many more conversations of a similar nature. _How do they know!?_ Her mind shouted.

"Mogami-san!" Ryouta called out as soon as Kyoko entered LME's lobby. Once she was within, he took hold of her arm and pulled her through reception and toward the elevators. "I've been trying to call you all morning. Did you get here okay?"

Even in LME, countless employees were looking at Kyoko with extreme interest. Ryouta could tell that Kyoko was hyperaware of the attention. "What going on?" she asked in a hushed voice.

Ryouta responded in the same tone, but his words were rushed as they head towards Lory's office. "Someone took a picture of you and Ren in Kyoto and now it's everywhere. Everyone knows you two are an item and plenty of people are unhappy about it. He is Japan's number one bachelor after all. To know he's not a bachelor breaks the hearts of tons of women."

Kyoko's heart plummeted as her inner voice whispered with dread, _I never thought about that… Everyone's upset because of me._

"What we're worried about are those women who are a little more… open and hostile with their jealously," Ryouta finished.

"What do you mean?" Kyoko's fear was palpable.

"You'll see," he responded when they reached their destination. "We're here."

The doors to Lory's office open before Ryouta even had a chance to reach for the knob. Lory's silent servant stood bowing before them with one hand extended toward the inside of the office as an invitation for the two of them to enter.

Lory, Ren, and Yashiro were already waiting inside. All three were sitting quietly, brooding over letters that were splayed on a table in front of Ren and Yashiro. Lory was standing at his window smoking a cigar until he noticed Kyoko and Ryouta, "Come in and have a seat."

They did as they were told and sat across from Ren and Yashiro. It took no more than a quick glance to see what the letters on the table were about as the words 'hate' and 'break up' were plastered all over several of the pages. Ren was fuming, Yashiro was freaking out, and Lory was contemplating.

Kyoko picked up one of the letters to examine it closer, flipping it over to see that it was addressed to none other than herself. "How many are there…?" she asks.

"Several. They have been coming in since the article first printed," Ryouta responded first.

Lory put out his cigar and walked to where everyone was sitting. "We've been discussing what to do."

Yashiro glanced nervously at Ren, who was sitting still with his hands folded together in front of him. He looked up at Kyoko and stands. "Come with me," he tells her.

She silently followed suit and they both head into a private room attached to Lory's office. On their way, Kyoko overheard Yashiro whisper to the other two men, "He's being too rash…"

Once they were alone, Ren turned and leaned against the wall opposite Kyoko. She stood stick straight while awaiting whatever news Ren felt the need to share with her in private.

"These letters… Normally I would ignore them. But right now I just…" his gaze intensified along with his protective instincts, "I can't."

Kyoko takes a deep breath in order to prepare herself mentally for what he needed to say.

"We've only been a couple for a little over two weeks, but it's not like you haven't slept at my apartment before…" he began carefully. "That's why I would like you to consider moving in with me."

Her eyes immediately bulged from her head. "Wha-!?"

"Wait!" Ren held up his hand to silence her. "Let me finish."

While she was able to silence herself, her mind was screaming at her and her heart beat wildly. _Ren… What are you saying!?_

"It doesn't have to be forever… We're both adults and I won't go so far as to promise that nothing will ever happen to us. I've lost too many people I care about to do that... Even if I certainly do feel that I will never let you go…" He took a step closer to her to take her hand. "But right now you are not safe where you are… If you're with me then I can keep you safe. Give me a month. Let this news die down…"

"But it… It's so fast," Kyoko stated, mortified.

"And for that, I won't ask you to answer right away. Take your time and think about it. Until then Ryouta will take you to and from work while I call you at night to make sure everything is okay."

"You don't really have to do all that…" she said.

He smiled wryly at her, "I do. I still remember when you had that incident with Reino from Vie Ghoul. I don't want to see you hurt again by any kind of stalker or vengeful fan… I would never let myself live it down if someone hurt you because of me."

She started to shake her head, but he shook his instead to stop her. "Please. Just think about it."

"I understand…"

* * *

**So tell me! What would you do if you were Kyoko? Please review! Thank you for reading. **


	3. Taking Flight

**Okay so I know its been a while but it happens. I love writing but I also LOVE my job! I'm so excited to be doing my internship that I put all of my time into it and this has been put on the back-burner. However, I also love my faithful readers so I am definitely seeing this until the end. I hope you enjoy this new chapter! Please review it and let me know what you think. Thanks ;)**

* * *

Last Chapter:

Ren convinces Kyoko that he is ready to face his parents as himself after twelve long years away, so the two now have to plan for a trip to America. At the same time, Kyoko has been receiving numerous hate letters from jealous Ren fans. Ren decides to take drastic measure to ensure her safety by inviting her to move in with him temporarily. Kyoko hesitates for obvious reasons, but will she be able to resist his protective tendencies forever?

* * *

"_I've already met with the President and Yashiro. It seems you and Ren have been approved for a 2 week vacation time,"_ Ryouta informed Kyoko. She was at home and going over her schedule with Ryouta.

"When is it?" Kyoko asked, filling in her personal planner as they went along.

"_A week from today."_

_So soon… _Kyoko was nervous to be going overseas for the first time, but she was also excited to see her 'father' again as well as meet his wife, Ren's mother.

"I understand. Then I will see you in the morning," Kyoko responded after jotting down the dates for her trip.

"_Kyoko-chan…?" _Ryouta beckoned, holding her on the line. _"About what Ren asked you…"_

Kyoko's heart began hammering in her chest, "Yes?"

"_I have to tell you to be careful. As your manager, it is my duty to look out for your public image and there might be some backlash if people find out you're living with him. His fans will go mad and you will be put in the spotlight…"_ He paused to let that sink in for her. _"Then again, as your friend I want to make sure that you are safe. Ren and the President didn't want you to read the letters so we disposed of them, but not before I was able to read them. They were… intense. So just try to think about staying with him. I will do everything within my power to protect your public image."_

Kyoko hesitated and after a beat, responded: "I understand. Thank you for your concern. I will make sure to think it over carefully."

"_That's all I ask,"_ Ryouta stated before they both hung up.

* * *

The next day, Ryouta was waiting at her doorstep when she descended the stairs and headed outside. Right away she noticed a look of concern on his face as he scanned the surrounding area.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

He froze at the sound of her voice and produced a smile to hide his anxiety. "It's nothing," he said while placing his arm around her to usher her into the car. "We need to get going."

Kyoko allowed him to lead her to his car until she noticed red spray paint on Darumaya's street sign that spelled out an unkind expletive. "Wha-!?" she began as she sat in the passenger seat, but she was cut off by Ryouta shutting the door with an angry fervor. He climbed in the driver's seat with a glare darkening his face.

"Don't worry about it. I've already contacted someone to fix the sign… What's done is done," Ryouta concluded. _Ren's going to have a field day!_

"But… That means there was someone here! How do they know where I live?" she frantically asked, concerned for the Darumaya couples' safety.

"I've just started regularly taking you to and from work. It would have been easy to follow you to find out where you live. All it would take is a fan that had a big enough desire." _I'll have to be more careful from now on_, Ryouta contemplated.

"I see…" Kyoko absentmindedly murmured.

* * *

With Ryouta's careful planning and watchful eyes, the week flew by without another incident. Like promised, Ren called Kyoko just about every night to check up on her. The day of the two's departure came upon them rapidly and Kyoko expressed her enthusiasm every time they spoke, much to Ren's secret delight. He felt a thrill in having Kyoko meet his mother. It had been decided that they would fly through the night so that they could work the day of and sleep for most of the flight.

Finally the day came, and Lory sent a car for Kyoko to get to the airport. Ren was already ready and waiting inside the car, but emerged to help Kyoko with her things.

"N-no! I couldn't let you help with this. I've got it!" she said a little too loudly, refusing to let her 'sempai' help.

Not satisfied with his treatment, Ren plastered his fake smile on his face and stepped in her way. "I think that now that I am not your senior, but your lover, you _should_ let me help." Kyoko turned beet red from head to toe upon hearing the word 'lover'. Too stunned to stop him, Ren took her suitcase and effortlessly placed it in the trunk of the car.

"Okay, let's go," he satisfyingly said while taking her hand and pulling her into the car.

All the while, the driver was standing to the side trying to figure out what to do. He didn't know how to butt in and do his job by taking her luggage and putting it in the car for her. Confused, he scratched his head and headed back to the driver's seat.

* * *

Finally in the air and on their way, Ren and Kyoko were settled into first class seats. Kyoko looked around, fascinated by the space of first class and all of its amenities. She was placed in coach when she flew to Guam, so she was unused to the style and privacy of first class. Ren watched her with amorous amusement. Something else the solitude offered was the fact that when Ren took Kyoko's hand in his and brought it to his lips, no one but Kyoko noticed. Her ears turned bright red and Ren could almost see the steam coming from them.

"N-not here!" she whispered harshly.

Ren leaned in to her to whisper conspiratorially back, "No one is watching." He chuckled and leaned back in his seat, giving her space nonetheless. He did not, however, let go of her hand.

Calming down, Kyoko settling into her seat for the long 12 hour flight. The two talked, laughed, and entertained themselves until drowsiness overtook Kyoko. Ren watched as her eyes grew heavy and eventually closed. He had only been able to see her sleep a couple times and every time he did, he was enchanted by her even more. She turned from her back onto her side, and Ren was able to get a better view of her sleeping face. A few strands of hair fell on her face so he gently moved them away. The warmth of her face on his fingertips sent chills up his arm and all the way through him.

Everything about the peacefully sleeping girl beside him made Ren's tumultuous heart beat calm and steady. Though he had successfully hidden it from Kyoko, he was nervous to be reunited with his parents. Having her by his side made him feel stronger than he would have had he been alone. He reclined his chair so that he was eye level with her and continued to watch her sleep until he finally drifted to sleep himself, where he dreamed of holding the girl sleeping next to him.

* * *

Daylight filtered in through the partially opened window screen next to Kyoko, and she woke to find Ren already awake and flipping through a magazine. He noticed her amber eyes peaking up at him and his radiated warmth back at her as he whispered a 'good morning'. Momentarily stunned to find Ren beside her when she awoke, her brain was slow to catch up with where she was.

_Oh! We're on the plane!_ She stretched and sat her chair up, getting out all the stiffness in her body she could. _So… that's what it's like waking up with him…_ she imagined regularly doing that, but quickly shooed the mental picture away. _No no NO!_

"So that's what that feels like," Ren's words echoed Kyoko's thoughts.

"Eh!?" she yelped in surprise. _He can read minds!? Maybe he really is magic!_

He suppressed his laughter. "Oh? What's this? Did I read your mind?" he guessed. Her wide-eyed stare confirmed his question. "That's okay, it just comes from over a year of practicing reading your expressions."

Kyoko hid her embarrassment by changing the subject: "Where are we?"

"You've been asleep for 8 hours and we have a little over one to go," he stated after examining a screen that projected their flight path.

"8 hours!?" Kyoko exclaimed.

Ren looked at her, surprised. "Um… Yes?"

"Ah! Sorry… It's just that I usually only sleep for 5. When I lived with Sho I worked all the time and I've never been able to shake my sleeping habits from back then…"

Ren's eyes narrowed at her words, but he didn't want to bring up the past. "Well then I'm glad you slept so well."

_Because I knew you were right here…_ Kyoko's thoughts began before she swatted them away. "Me too," she simply replied.

* * *

Two hours later, Ren and Kyoko stepped out of the airport and into the Los Angeles sunlight where a man approached them in casual clothes and dark sunglasses. His graying blonde hair glistened in the light and his long legs made his stride seem elegant without any effort. Kyoko and Ren instantly recognized the man.

"Father," Ren said slightly rigidly.

Kuu glared and lifted his flexed finger to Ren's forehead, prepared to flick it at a moment's notice.

Ren automatically lifted both of his hands to protect his forehead and spit the word "dad" out before the finger was released.

Now instead of flicking him, Kuu planted his hand on Ren's head and affectionately ruffled his hair. "Son." He glanced at Kyoko and spread his arms wide, "And my daughter too!"

Kyoko gave into his beckoning with no delay and embraced her beloved 'father'.

"Okay kids, let's go. Julie is waiting," he stated while ushering them to his car. Kyoko looked up at Ren questioningly, wondering who Julie is.

'My mother,' Ren mouthed to her. Nervousness overcame Kyoko instantly and she began fidgeting in the car. Ren took her hand to calm her, but he also wished to calm his own heart in the process. 'It will be okay, don't be nervous,' he mouthed again to her just as much as he did to himself.

"So!" Kuu interrupted their silent exchange, "When did you two finally decide to date?"

Kyoko's eyes bulged and Ren curses himself and his father internally. _I forgot to tell her!_

Kuu watched them from his rearview mirror. _Oho…!_ "What's this? Ren didn't tell you I knew?"

She looked up at Ren in horror, her eyes screamed. _You knew!?_

_Sh*t._

* * *

**Again I ask, please review! -FakeAlbino**


	4. Los Angeles

**Well... My internship at a middle school is over and I am actually really sad about it. Now its just two summer classes standing between graduation and me. Plus now I need to find a full-time teaching position somehow! Wish me luck in the job hunt! Also, please enjoy the new chapter. I know its late, but I've just had no time until now. Please review and let me know what you think. Thanks :)**

* * *

**Last Chapter:** Ren and Kyoko make their way to Los Angeles via Kuu's invitation to visit him and his wife, Julie. While Ren is secretly nervous to be reunited with his parents, he finds comfort in having Kyoko join him. This is short-lived when Kuu picks the duo up at the airport and lets it slip that he knows about Ren and Kyoko's new relationship. What will happen the rest of the trip? Time to find out!

* * *

"Yes, sir. We've arrived safely," Ren said into his cellphone.

"_What's this? You sound tense…_" Lory suspiciously asked.

Ren sighed and ran a hand through his hair while looking through the foyer of his parents' house to a beaming Kyoko. She bowed repeatedly as Kuu introduced her to Julie, who began fawning over her immediately.

"Apparently _someone _told my father about my relationship with Kyoko," Ren pointedly spoke.

There was a pause before Lory responded. "_Wait… You mean me?_"

"Obviously. Kuu said you told him."

"_I didn't… I may stick my nose in others' business but I wouldn't spoil the surprise when you tell him_," Lory said while contemplating how Kuu found out.

_What…? Then how did he know?_ "Who knows… That man has a way of finding out anything I guess." Ren glanced suspiciously at his father, who was now leading Kyoko away to show her around the mansion. "I'll call you again," he stated before hanging up his phone and joining his parents and Kyoko.

* * *

Kyoko was folding her clothes and placing them in a dresser when a knock on her door resounded in the room.

"It's me," a voice she loves called.

She placed the last of her garments in a drawer and shuts it. She also took a moment to breathe deep and let it out as a sigh. Sometimes it was a little overwhelming to think that she was dating Tsuruga Ren, especially now that she was in his parents' Los Angeles mansion.

"Kyoko?" he called again, not sure of her presence.

Kyoko snapped out of her haze. "Ah! Yes, I'm coming!" She ran to her door and pulled it open, revealing a slightly worried Ren. He did a once over of his girl and smiled slightly.

"I hope I didn't disturb you…"

"Of course not! Come in," she offered, taking a step back so that he could enter. The room Kyoko was staying in was larger than any she had stayed in before, equip with a king-sized bed, lounging area, and a private bathroom. Ren took a seat on the couch and beckoned Kyoko to join, which she promptly did.

As soon as she sat, Ren bowed to her slightly. "I'm sorry."

Kyoko was flustered by his action and words, waving her hands around frantically so that he would lift his head. "No! Please don't be! It's okay! No need to apologize!" her words came rushed.

"I should have told you he knew. I didn't tell him about us, but somehow the old man found out and let it slip that he knew when we were on the phone in my apartment." Ren once again contemplated how his father might have found out about them. Surely it was now hot news in Tokyo, but Kuu had brought it up before the news had hit the stands.

"I mean it was surprising… I'm still growing used to the idea that we… we're… you- you know..." a blush tints her cheeks and brought Ren out of his thoughts. "But I'm not mad…"

"Kyoko…" Ren let out a relieved sigh and dropped his forehead to her shoulder, making her heartbeat spike.

"I know it will be hard being with me… It's only been a few weeks and we've already been through the fire." He reflected on her mother, her short engagement to Arata, their invitation to L.A. thanks to his father, and the threatening letters and vandalism at Darumaya. "I'm sorry…" he repeated.

Kyoko's heart warmed, "Please don't be… Believe me when I say I'm also doing this for myself." When Ren doesn't budge, she took his further. "Ren… you know I never thought I'd love someone again. All my heart felt was hatred and a desire for revenge. I'd lost something important… something everyone should have." She reflected on the past two years of her life and took a shuddering breath. When Ren felt it, he lifted his head to gaze into tear-filled eyes. Before he could say anything, she finished her speech with a humorless laugh, "Something you gave back to me… So I guess I should say sorry for using you."

Suddenly Ren pulled her so close that she was practically on his lap, and wrapped his arms around her. "Kyoko, I'm not kidding when I saw I will not let you go." He brought his eyes to hers with the prince-of-the-night look. "You can come to hate my someday and I still wouldn't even then…"

Her heart pounded, slightly overwhelmed by Ren's unrestrained feelings. She had noticed them a few times before and it made her wonder how long Ren had been hiding it. Sometimes he looked like a different person… Unlike the gentlemanly senior she'd grown used to. Her blush deepened at the thought and at the look he was giving her.

"I- I could never hate you…" she stuttered just before Ren brought his lips to hers, forcing her into silence.

* * *

"You're dating!?" Julie squealed with delight. Kyoko was squirming in her seat as Ren's hand came down on hers in her lap, making Julie squeal even louder.

"Okay, dear. Let's not scream their ears off," Kuu chuckled and placed a hand on Julie's shoulder, barely containing the mirth dancing in his eyes. He may have already known, but hearing it straight from his son's mouth made it even more real.

Julie giggled and stood with hands extended to Kyoko. "Come here, let's have some girl time."

Kyoko glanced at Ren, who gestured for her to join his mother. Both Kuu and Ren watched the women disappear into the depths of the house. When they were gone, Kuu took a seat next to Ren.

"Ren… No, right now it's Kuon," Kuu began.

Ren smiled a little awkwardly, unsure of himself. "Yeah…"

"You know, when I first heard from Lory that all I had to do was mess with that girl to get a reaction out of you, I knew she must be special to you. I had no idea, though, that she'd be the one to break through to you and bring you home…" Kuu crossed his arms a smiles warmly at the thought.

Ren lightly laughed, "Believe me, I was the most surprised. In denial even."

Kuu looks over at his glowing young man and quirks an eyebrow. "So… Just how much does she know?"

"Everything," Ren responded without hesitation. "She knows everything… Even that we had actually met when we were both kids."

This caught Kuu's attention. "What!?"

"Remember when you took me on site in Kyoto and I disappeared for a while every day?" Ren asks.

Kuu reminisces, trying to remember. "Oh! Yes I do remember that. You told me you were exploring."

"In a way I did… Kyoko is from Kyoto and one day I ran into her by a small stream. We used to meet all the time." Ren smiles and laughs again. "Even though she never said my name correctly and thought it was a fairy prince. She called me Corn."

Kuu looked at him as if he was as bizarre as the story he was telling, but then something hits him. "Wait… Corn?"

"Yeah?" Ren answers, questioningly.

Kuu begins to laugh as he remembers his conversation with Kyoko about his son when he had given her the assignment to act as him. She had misheard him say Corn instead of Kuon. "It's nothing… Just fate has a crazy way of messing around." _Maybe they really do have a red string connecting them._

"Dad?"

Kuu was startled by the title, having not been called that name in too long. "Yeah?"

"I'm sorry for everything… And thank you." Ren said with a deep, humble bow.

Kuu smiles at his son. "Anything for you," he stated and let his hand land on Ren's head to ruffle his hair. "Welcome home."

* * *

On the second to last night of their stay, Ren invited Kyoko out on a special date. It was hard for them to find a chance to do in Tokyo for a number of reasons but now that his fans were threatening her, it was harder for the two of them to be seen together. The day of, Julie had taken Kyoko out shopping to find her an outfit for the date. While Kyoko initially refused to let Julie buy her anything, Julie was having none of it. As soon as she found something that suit Kyoko, she bought it.

Kyoko was now back at the Hizuri's mansion, getting ready with Julie's help.

"Thank you for indulging me this afternoon," Julie said while running a comb through Kyoko's hair, which was starting to grow back to its original length as she had not had it cut in a long time. "I've never had a daughter and I'd always wanted to pamper one… You're as close to one as I've ever had."

The words shot through her heart as her thoughts landed on her now-deceased mother. She had never received love from Saena, so the concept of this woman she had met almost two weeks prior feeling motherly feelings for Kyoko was unbelievable. She barely kept her tears at bay as her gratefulness for Julie overflowed.

"Thank you…" Kyoko managed to say while Julie got to work curling and styling her hair simply. Once her hair was finished, along with her make-up, Julie stepped back in amazement at Kyoko.

"You look so different… Beautiful and mature." Pulling Kyoko's new dress from the bed, she helped Kyoko step into it so that her hair would not be ruined. It was a simple, amber-colored dress to match her eyes. It clung to her in all the right ways and had a slight ruffle in the back to add an extra touch of elegance. All-in-all, Kyoko didn't look like the 17 year old girl she was, but instead looked like a 22 year old woman to match Tsuruga Ren.

Julie smiled with tears in her eyes, "Okay, one last touch." She pulled a necklace out and placed it around Kyoko's neck. "My mother gave me this for my first date with Kuu. I was already a model at the time, but I was still so nervous! This reminded me that there are people out there that love me and support me… It gave me the courage to win Kuu's heart," she said with a wink to Kyoko through the mirror. "Though I guess since you've already done that, then this will just make his fall for you all over again." She turned Kyoko to face her. "There… Perfect. Now to show the men."

Julie descended the stairs first so that she could watch her masterpiece come down and how Ren will react. "So…!" she began before Kyoko came out, "when are you going to marry her so I can do this all the time?"

Ren nearly combusted at his mother's question. "W-what!? No!"

"Oh?" Kuu perked up with a devious smile, "You don't want to marry her?"

"I-It's too early!" _Way too early!_ Ren thought frantically.

Kuu and Julie glanced at each other in turn. "Did you hear that, dear? He wants to marry her _eventually_."

_Oh god…_ He began to speak again, but stopped in stupefied wonder. _Kyoko…_

Kyoko began to descend the stairs and hid her nervousness as Ren's steady gaze held her captive. Once she had reached the bottom, Ren held out his elbow with an angelic smile. "Are you ready?"

"Yes," she replied and slipped her hand into the crook of his arm. "Lead the way."

Ren had made reservations at an exquisite restaurant that allowed for privacy and if one should please, dancing. Once they had finished their meal, Ren most certainly was pleased to take part as he stood and offered his hand to Kyoko when a new slow song began. Her eyes widened but she complied, allowing Ren to lead her to the dancefloor and into his embrace. He expertly led her around the floor, never letting her further away than necessary.

"It still feels like I'm living in a dream… Here I always feared if I ever tried to touch you, you'd go running for the hills and never trust me again. Who knew I would ever get a change to have a night like this with you…" He dips her low, "and hopefully sweep you off your feet all over again," he said with a grin at her cherry cheeks. Straightening her up, he sighed. "But it's back to Tokyo after tomorrow…"

"Yeah…" Kyoko cringed at the thought of going back to deal with her stalkers. "It'll be okay… we'll find a way to deal with the crazy fans."

"Mmm…" Ren murmured, "My offer still stands, you know. Look at us now. We've been living under the same roof for two weeks and you've handled that well."

"That's different and you know it. Your parents are there and the place is huge! Living with you in your apartment, for however short a time, would be completely different… It's more…"

"Intimate," Ren finished for her. At this point they had stopped dancing and he led her to the door of the restaurant. "I know… But that's also why I won't force you. I just want you safe."

"I know…" Kyoko said as she climbed into their car and Ren shut the door behind her.

* * *

Ren and Kyoko were saying goodbye to Julie and Kuu when a forbidden topic came up again. "So when are you kids going to send an invitation?"

"Invitation…?" Kyoko asked while realization dawned on Ren. Before he could stop then, Kuu answered her.

"For the wedding!"

Kyoko's temperature shot up immediately and she began bowing and babbling "what are you talking about"s, "it's too soon"s, and "I'm sorry"s over and over as she practically ran out of the house with a face as red as an apple.

The three left behind watched her go in amazement and Kuu burst with laughter. "Now that's something that will never get old- picking on her."

Ren sighed heavily, "I'd appreciate it if you didn't go to the extremes like that."

"Oh just wait till you are married and I ask about babies."

At that, even Ren's cheeks gained a red tint. _Time to go_.

* * *

**Again, please review! Thank you for reading!**


	5. Getting Hurt

**Because I took so long uploading the last chapter, I thought I would be nice and give you two. I hope you enjoy! **

* * *

"Yes. Tomorrow morning at 7, right?" Kyoko spoke to Ryouta on her cellphone, figuring out a good time for him to pick her up in the morning. She and Ren had been in Tokyo for a week and Ryouta had made sure to pick her up and take her home every day for work. So far, this had been enough to protect her from jealous fans.

"_Sounds about right._" Ryouta responded after a pause, sounding distracted.

"Is everything alright?" Kyoko asked.

He chuckled lightly, playing it off. "_Of course, I was just writing down our plans. I will see you in the morning._"

"Alright… Goodnight."

"_Goodnight, Kyoko dear._" Ryouta answered and hung up.

_Hm… That's weird,_ Kyoko absentmindedly thought as she placed her planner in her purse for the morning. _Oh well. Time for bed!_

* * *

"_You'll pay for this!" Arata yelled at a distressed Kyoko as he was pulled away by police. "Just wait, my family will get you for this and I'll be out before you know it!" She was clutching her beloved rock, corn, close to ward off the fear she felt. "You think that Tsuruga Ren can protect you? Think again!" He yelled again, ripping his way out of the police's grip to pick up a rock. He wound back and threw it at Kyoko._

She awoke with a start, a crashing sound breaking through her nightmare. She was breathing hard and scanned the room to gain her bearings. She knew that none of what happened in her dream actually happened with Arata, but the idea was enough to disrupt her heart. She had finally managed to catch her breath when her eyes landed on her window. The glass was broken and shards were laying below it, surrounding a single rock with a piece of paper stuck to it. She got out of her futon and carefully made her way to it, picking up the paper in order to read the hate-filled words scribbled on it. 'Die, b*tch'. Before she could react, Okami came into her room in a haste after being woken by the noise.

"Kyoko? Is everything oka-" She stopped when she saw the mess and Kyoko's expression. Stepping closer, she took the paper out of Kyoko's hand and read it. "Oh my!" She looked at Kyoko and the shattered glass again. "Should I give Sato-sama a call for you? He needs to know."

Kyoko shook her head, "No, it's alright. I can tell him in the morning…" She looked at her alarm clock to see that it was only 3 am. "Whoever it is is probably gone by now." Okami's husband stepped into Kyoko's doorway, and Kyoko looked at the husband and wife pair with dread. "I'm so sorry."

* * *

She did indeed tell Ryouta about the incident in the morning, and his face turned darker than she'd ever seen before.

"I see. Thank you for telling me. I will handle it immediately…" He parked his car in LME's parking garage and carefully led Kyoko inside. "I have a meeting with Lory while you get ready to shoot for Box R. I will meet you in Love Me's room in an hour. Do _not_ leave without me."

They both stopped in front of the door to the Love Me section's dressing room. Finally, he smiled warmly at her to try to calm her fears. "Kyoko, it'll be okay. I promise."

She smiled at him in turn, perking herself up. "Yes!" she responded before going inside. Instantly, she truly brightened up upon seeing her best friend. "Mokoooo-sannn!"

Kanae was watching a new drama in their dressing room, critiquing the female lead's role to no end. When she saw Kyoko, she prepared herself for the inevitable. Kyoko danced over to her and swung her around in a hug tight enough to choke the life out of a normal person. Fortunately for Kanae, her little nieces and nephews were far worse than Kyoko. "Yes, Yes. Hello to you too." She stopped Kyoko's spinning. "Long time no see," she sullenly said.

"Moko-san?"

She turned away and used her perfected fake-crying on Kyoko. "All this time I thought we were friends and you don't even call to give a heads up."

"EHH!?" Kyoko panicked. "About what? I'm so sorry whatever it is! Forgive me! Have mercy on me!"

"Tsuruga Ren."

Kyoko froze, literally. Kanae looked over at her and almost laughed at Kyoko's frozen fearful expression. Slowly it chipped away into a red-hot blush.

"Ah-ha-ha-ha… That…" Kyoko managed.

_That!? This girl does know who he is, right!? THE Tsuruga Ren. I knew he loved her but when the heck did she finally admit it!?_ Kanae internally ranted.

Kyoko started returning to normal as she processed her thoughts to find where to start her story of how the two of them came to be. An hour later, Kyoko was dressed as Natsu and the two girls sat facing opposite each other with one girl's mouth hanging wide open and the other solemnly nodding.

_All of that happened!?_ Kanae snapped her mouth shut and cursed herself for not knowing sooner to be supportive of Kyoko. "That's insane."

"Yeah… And now that it's out in the open that I'm with Ren, a lot of people are unhappy about it and have been threatening me. It'd be one thing if it wasn't causing trouble for anyone else… I'd handle it myself then. But it bother's Ren and hurts the business of those I live with…" Kyoko clenches her fist in her lap. "It makes me mad!" _I'm so weak!_

It was then that Kanae noticed Kyoko shaking, so she placed a hand over Kyoko's fist. "Kyoko-chan it'll be okay. The President, Tsuruga-san, and Sato-san know what they're doing. They'll protect those guys at Darumaya." Still, Kanae was pissed for her friend's predicament. _How to help the situation… Maybe if they had a _"press conference?" she accidently voiced her thoughts.

"Hm?" Kyoko was confused.

"I was just wondering if a press conference would help… It's helped scandals in the past. Put it out in the open and maybe some people who are in denial will finally accept it and move on."

"That's exactly what we've decided to do." Kyoko and Kanae were startled by the sudden voice and turned to find Ryouta standing in the doorway. "Normally we'd never go this far for a celebrity couple, but due to the violence of last night's outburst we think it's worth a shot."

Kyoko shot up out of her seat. "No way! I couldn't bother Ren to do something like that!"

"He's already agreed. In fact, we're going to do it today since he has time and the press has already taken the bait," Ryouta stated and came closer to Kyoko, giving her a once over. "It'll be right after your Box R shoot so you might as well go with your Natsu make-up on. It looks good on you and will a more favorable impression." He could see the panic on Kyoko's face, but he knew that there was not much he could do.

Kanae stood next to Kyoko, "I'll call you tonight about it. It's a good idea, you have to admit it."

"I hope so…" she and Ryouta spoke at the same time.

* * *

Kyoko's Box R shoot wrapped up and she sat alone in her dressing room while Ryouta got their car. She could not stop fidgeting, nervous for what was to come. Ren shot her a short text saying he would see her soon, but even that did not calm her racing heart. She received glares and odd looks even on the Box R set, even after the looks of distain they received from her costars. She felt that nothing could stop the hot gossip she and Ren had created.

When they arrived at the location of the press conference, security ushered Kyoko and Ryouta to the waiting room where Ren and Yashiro already were. Ren silently observed Kyoko when she and Ryouta entered, looking for any sign of harm or distress. Obviously, he noticed how nervous she seemed. Her large, round eyes seemed twice as large due to her anxiety. Ren stood and pulled her to a corner of the room, out of Yashiro and Ryouta's earshot.

Ren placed a hand under her chin, pulling her face from staring at the floor and into his eyes. He took a few moments to gaze into her eyes, trying to gauge her feelings and how nervous she was. She stared back into his eyes as if he was her own personal savior.

"Let me do the talking…" he finally murmured. "Don't even worry about if they ask you something. They're just fishing for a good story."

"But…!" Kyoko began to argue but Ren's eyes narrowed, silencing her.

"We don't owe them an explanation," he spoke with a menacing ferocity. "If anything, the people out there do for trying to hurt you."

She began to try to speak again, but his expression kept her silent. _Ryouta-san must have told him about this morning…_ she thought.

"I love you," Ren stated, bringing her thoughts back to the present. "I want you. That's all that matters." The words sank into Kyoko, and she took a deep breath while closing her eyes. Ren watched her calm herself for a few moments, examining the dark circles showing faintly through her make-up. Finally she opened her eyes and nodded, signifying she was ready. He could tell she was just by looking at the new shine in her eyes, and his eyes brightened knowing this. "Let's go."

* * *

Dozens of cameras and reporters were waiting for the star couple's appearance, preparing their questions even though they knew that they would not really get an answer. This did not stop them, however, from yelling them out when Ren and Kyoko finally emerged, followed by Yashiro and Ryouta. The couple stood behind the center seats positioned at a long rectangular table placed on a stage. A cloud of voices rang out as the reporters tried desperately to voice their questions to no avail. The group bowed at the crowd before taking their seats.

Ryouta stood again, signifying that it was about to start. Ren took hold of Kyoko's hand underneath the table and a tablecloth concealed their entwined hands. Ryouta noticed this out of the corner of his eye, and knew that Kyoko would be okay with Ren's help. He lifted his hand into the air at chest-level in order to silence the crowd, and it worked almost instantly. Once everyone was quiet, Ryouta began explaining the conference.

"Thank you for being with us today. We will hold a short conference with Tsuruga Ren and Kyoko," he said, leaving out Kyoko's last name as it was not supposed to be public information. "We may have time to answer a few personal questions after the two finish their speech, but only if you cooperate with us and hold your questions until the end. Thank you," he finished and sat back down.

Kyoko squeezed Ren's hand tighter knowing that it was their turn. She had been in a press conference before and not been nervous so she felt as if she was acting a fool.

"On behalf of Kyoko-san and myself," Ren began, calling Kyoko formally due to the situation, "we thank you for being here. We understand that the announcement of our current relationship came as a shock to many fans, and we apologize. We did not mean to disrupt the hearts of our beloved fans, but we also felt the need to be honest with each other." Ren smiled his radiant fake smile. "And now we could not be happier. I hope that everyone can understand. Kyoko-san was a great source of strength for myself, whether she knows it and will admit it or not," He glanced over at her. "I look at her and see the sun. Even an actor as well-known as myself has problems they think they cannot overcome. Luckily Kyoko-san unknowingly helped me through each of these problems. Now she's all I can see…"

Kyoko knew he had to play to the heartstrings of those listening by talking about their love story, but his words still sent her heart racing.

"If you have any questions, we can answer a few," Ren stated.

They all began talking, but one won out. "What does Kyoko have to say about her relationship with such a superstar? Especially in the wake of millions of broken hearts."

Ren began to speak for Kyoko to shoot down the question, but Ren's words had comforted her enough to give her the confidence to speak up.

"I know how crazy it seems to be with someone so… Amazing. It feels like one long dream…" She shook her head at the situation she was in. "Tsuruga-san says he looks at me and sees the sun… We'll I look at him and see the stars. I'd been faced with a lot of trouble and everything seemed bleak and dark... But if you've ever looked at a night sky when it's darkest, you see stars everywhere…" She smiled sweetly and the reporters snapped dozens of pictures of her, captivated by her beauty. "When I had noticed how dark it had gotten, I looked up and saw him there for me every time I needed him. It got to the point that I couldn't even see the dark anymore." She took a deep breath, "That's why I have to apologize to those whose hearts are broken because of me… But I will not give him up."

All throughout the room, the reporters seemed satisfied with her answer and supportive of their future relationship. A peace had settled over the room and Yashiro and Ryouta exchanged relieved glances. That is until the peace was disruptive by a shrill cry.

"How dare you!?" A brown-haired woman screamed, making her way to the front of the conference. Before security could apprehend her, she grabbed a reporter's glass of water and threw it at Kyoko. The water hit Kyoko perfectly, but the glass missed her and crashed into the wall behind her. Although Ren and Ryouta tried to protect her, a stray shard of glass flew forward and cut her cheek. The reporters directly around the women began yelling and snapping photos of everything, saying things about a crazed fan attacking Kyoko. Security finally grabbed the woman from behind and pulled her away all while she continued yelling at Kyoko and tried to break free. Additional security ushered Ren, Kyoko and their managers away to their waiting room.

Once they were inside, a doctor examined Kyoko's wound and cleaned it up while Ryouta helped dry her. The doctor assured everyone that the cut was not too deep and would not leave a visible scar. As far as Ren was concerned, it could have missed her completely and he'd still hate himself for allowing Kyoko to be put in danger. He was fuming, and Kyoko had only ever seen him looking similar to this one other time in Karuizawa after he had found out about Sho protecting her from Reino. Finally she understood what that look meant, and that it meant he blamed himself for not protecting her.

"Ren…" she whispered.

Ren took a deep breath and looked at her bandaged face. He stepped closer to her and lightly traced his finger over it, looking as if were in more pain that she was.

"Kyoko… move in with me." She began to shake her head, but he stopped her. "I won't be able to sleep at night knowing you could be in danger." It was a low blow, but he knew that it would be effective in convincing her. Kyoko was a stickler for his health even before they began dating. "Let me protect you…"

Kyoko's mind was racing, trying to find an excuse. Any excuse. But she came up short, thinking about Ren's health and Okami and her husband's safety above all else. Finally she let her head bob up and down in an obedient nod. "Okay…"

* * *

**Please review!**


	6. The Stranger

**Oh my gosh... If you only knew how many times I had to stop, start, rewrite, and completely start over... I know where I want this story to go, but getting there is hard. Anyway, I am sorry for being so late with this one. Life is just crazy. I found a job and am officially a math teacher! If any of you couldn't tell by my writing, I am most certainly not cut out to teach English. Heck no. I hope you enjoy this chapter and please let me know what you think! Thanks!**

* * *

It took a week for Kyoko and Ren to find time in their schedules that matched up in order to move Kyoko into Ren's apartment. Throughout the week Kyoko had to re-convince herself repeatedly that moving in with Ren was the best option. In the end, she was unable to talk herself out it and finally found herself standing outside Ren's apartment with her suitcase in hand. Tentatively, she lifted her hand and softly knocked on his door. It only took Ren a moment to open it and he smiled softly at the nervous girl in front of him.

He stepped back to allow her access. "Come in", he said while taking her suitcase from her.

Kyoko hesitantly entered, remembering the other times she had been in Ren's apartment and how the nervousness she felt then was incomparable to what she felt now. Shutting the door behind her, Ren glanced at Kyoko's back that looks so small at that moment. He hadn't seen her this nervous possibly ever. At that moment, he cursed himself for putting her through so much.

"Follow me," he said before leading her to his guest bedroom. "I'm sure you remember the layout of the apartment, but if you have any questions then just ask…" He flipped the light on to her new room and he couldn't help but imagine her delicate figure sleeping in her bed. Quickly shutting down those errant thoughts, Ren moved out Kyoko's way so that she could enter.

While she walked around the room in order to take in the fact that it was now hers for a while, Ren set her suitcase on her bed and watched her. "Tell me what you're thinking…" Red asked, almost pleading.

Kyoko giggled nervously, "Honestly I can't even think right now…" She turned to look at Ren. "I have done this before, but this time it's just…" She shook her head and Ren's face darkened ever-so-slightly remembering that she once moved to Tokyo and lived with Sho. "More," she finished and could see the confusion on Ren's face.

Unable to look him in the eye before continuing, Kyoko set her eyes on the floor and took a deep breath. "I am in love with you… When I lived with Sho I always felt a certain sense of emptiness, but I never knew why. I thought he loved me back so when I found out the truth it opened my eyes in many ways." Her thoughts wandered to the following few weeks when she changed herself, entered the entertainment world, and ultimately ended up meeting the man that stood before her.

"It's more this time because I know you're not fooling me… I trust you." Her face heated up and she struggled to finish her monologue. "Y-you l-l-lo-love-"

"I love you," Ren finished for her. She could feel his gaze on her and finally lifted her eyes to meet his.

"Yeah…" she breathed and nodded. "You do." _And I don't know if I will ever really understand why…_

* * *

Outside and across the street from Ren's apartment stood a man in a business suit smoking a cigarette and holding a cell phone to his ear. "Yeah, looks like she moved in with him…" He sniggered. "This makes things easier for me. I thought keeping tabs on both of them was going to give me a headache and use a lot of manpower, but this… I like this," he spoke into his phone. "Huh?" he questioned the one on the other end of the conversation and scoffed in response. "That son of mine was useless. I won't mess up like him and give me true intentions away. Don't worry… The plan will go off without a hitch." He put out his cigarette and looked back towards Ren's apartment. "The two of them have no idea I'm even here…"

* * *

Ren and Kyoko made it through their first night sleeping under the same roof. Kyoko was cleaning up their dishes from breakfast when Ren's doorbell rang. He opened it to find Yashiro and Ryouta both standing in his doorway with grins on their faces.

Ryouta glanced over Ren's shoulder but couldn't see Kyoko anywhere, "I see you survived the first hurdle." He looked back at Ren with a smirk, "Not that I expected anything to happen the first night though… Just wait. One day she'll catch you off guard and you won't be able to be the typical stoic gentleman."

Ren glared at Ryouta and Yashiro struggled to contain his mirth, ever the fangirl for Ren and Kyoko's relationship.

"I don't know what you think is going to happen, but you're wrong," Ren answered Ryouta's teasing with barely contained menace and walked back into his apartment with an unspoken invitation for Yashiro and Ryouta to follow him. There, they found Kyoko drying her hands and ready to head to work with Ryouta.

"Ready to head out?" Ryouta asked Kyoko, who nodded and gathered her things.

She stopped to bow slightly to Yashiro and looked up at Ren. "I'm off…"

Ren's heart skipped at the homely words from her and his cheeks naturally turned up. "Be safe… I'll see you tonight."

She and Ryouta then made their way to his car, but Ryouta accidentally bumped shoulders with a man coming the opposite way.

"Ah! I apologize. I wasn't looking at where I was going," the stranger said to Ryouta. The man was in his late forties and dressed in an expensively tailored business suit. Ryouta noticed that the man seemed nice enough, but that there was something unsettling about him. He didn't know why, but he felt like it wasn't an accident at all.

"It's no problem," Ryouta stated, on guard. "I should have been more careful." He noticed the man glance at Kyoko and Ryouta's managerial protectiveness skyrocketed. "I'm sorry but we must be on our way. Have a good day."

"Oh of course, I'm sorry for holding you up," the stranger bowed one last time and allowed Kyoko and Ryouta to leave. _Aaah… The manager's sharp._

"Imai-sama," a younger man in a dark suit and sunglasses approached the stranger once Kyoko and Ryouta were out of earshot. "We must get going. You have a meeting in an hour with-"

"Yes. Yes. I know. Let's go tell him what we've been able to find out," Kiyoshi responds. _Arata was an idiot… Guess it's time to really get started. _He pulled out his phone as they walked and flipped through pictures of Ren, Kyoko, Yashiro, and Ryouta from that morning and the night before. _He's going to flip his sh*t._

* * *

Kyoko and Ryouta were on the set of a short commercial she was filming outside, so naturally there were onlookers watching them. So far, no one had noticed or made a fuss about Kyoko so things were running smoothly. It was midway through production that day that this changed.

"Hey… Is that _the_ Kyoko? The one Tsuruga Ren is dating?" someone in the crowd loudly asked.

"Eh!? No way! _Her_?" a woman disdainfully asked. "There's no way! She's too… boring!"

Kyoko did her best to ignore the people talking about her, but that became more difficult as the crowd around the set grew and grew. Everyone wanted to see the girl that snagged Japan's number one bachelor, and the general consensus was that she was unworthy.

"Go back to living in the shadows, ugly!" one woman finally snapped and threw a styrofoam cup of water at Kyoko, hitting her square on the back and soaking her.

Security immediately apprehended the woman and pushed the crowd away, but the damage was done. Kyoko's hair for the commercial was out-of-whack and her makeup was ruined. Ryouta grabbed a towel and wrapped her in it while leading her to safety. He could feel her body tremble, but with anger or sadness he did not know.

The production company decided to call it a day as the delay had made the sun go down too much for their liking. When Kyoko and Ryouta returned to Ryouta's car, hate letters had been thrown all over the hood and windshield. Ryouta immediately gathered the letters and threw them away, hardly controlling his anger.

"Security was lax today. They should have pushed the crowd back the second those people started spewing nonsense," Ryouta stated as they both climbed into his car. This whole time Kyoko had remained silent and he could see the concern etched on her face. The two of them had to apologize to all of the crew for being the central cause of the disruption and Kyoko was beating herself up for it. Ryouta sighed heavily and started the car. "Come on… Let's get some lunch. I'll take you somewhere good."

He drove to a small, out of the way restaurant and he ordered both of them Kyoko's favorite: hamburger with an over easy egg. Kyoko spoke up halfway through their nearly silent meal.

"What can I do to stop this…"

Ryouta knew she meant stop jealous fans from coming after her, but he also knew that there was no easy answer. He had to somehow make her understand that it was just a part of something she was going to have to go through to rise to the top of the entertainment world.

"You love Ren, right?" he asked, knowing the answer.

She blushed and nodded.

"So correct me if I'm wrong, but leaving him in not an option." Ryouta stated with a raised eyebrow.

Kyoko's mind flashed back to her mother and Sho leaving her behind. She couldn't go through that rejection… that loss again. "No."

"Then the answer is simple," Ryouta said and set his fork and knife down while Kyoko waited for his explanation. "You get out there and show everyone that you don't belong in the shadows."

She recalls the one person in the crowd who had yelled for her to return to the shadows and her blood boiled.

"Put on a brave face, act your little heart out and no matter what, don't give up. Smile through the pain. Make that a source of strength and drive… Show these people that Mogami Kyoko is amazing and deserves to find happiness with Tsuruga Ren more than anyone else." Ryouta grinned, "I didn't choose to become your manager for nothing. I've watched all of your work. I know you can make it to the top… You're good."

Tears formed in Kyoko's eyes as she let Ryouta's words sink into the deepest parts of her heart. "Yes."

The two return to Ryouta's carto find one letter stuck under his windshield wiper. "Really? Another?" Ryouta exasperatedly asked while picking up the letter to throw it away.

"Wait," Kyoko stopped him and took the letter. At a closer look she noticed the letter had 'Ms. Mogami' elegantly written on the front. Her blood chilled when she remembered that her last name had not been released to the public. _How did they know…?_

Opening the letter, Kyoko's heart stopped upon reading three simple words:

'I'm watching you.'

* * *

**Review please!**


	7. Breaking In

**Hello everyone! I must first and foremost apologize for not posting in such a long time. I started my first year of teaching in August and have been so busy its crazy. I wake up, go to work, come home, eat, sleep, repeat. It so hard but so rewarding! So all of you middle schoolers (and kids of other age groups) out there reading this, be thankful for your teachers! We work too hard!**

**Now past that sappy part, I really do hope you enjoy this chapter. There won't be too many chapters after this because I truly do not have time, but have no fear! I will give you an ending you can be happy with. Enjoy and review!**

* * *

Ryouta and Kyoko had just left a local restaurant to find a letter addressed to her on the hood of Ryouta's car. She read the three simple words: 'I'm watching you.'

* * *

Ryouta read the letter over Kyoko's shoulder and snatched it away from her so that he could get a closer look. He balled it up in anger and threw it to the side.

"Just ignore it. Some crazy fan is just trying to spook you."

Kyoko shivered, "Then how did they know my surname?" _Only my first same was released to the public… No one should know I am a Mogami. _

Shock crossed Ryouta's face before it darkened as he caught onto why she had asked and his mind raced for answers, but nothing came to mind. Feeling watched, his eyes scanned the surrounding area but he could not see anyone suspicious around. Nonetheless, he decided it was time to go.

"Let's go," he murmured so just she could hear and he guided her to the passenger seat of his car. His eyes once again swam, checking everyone walking nearby for any signs of malice.

Seeing Ryouta's worried expressions made Kyoko's fear grow as it confirmed that something was very wrong.

* * *

The actress and manager pulled up to Ren's apartment and they both exited the car. Ryouta refused to even allow her to walk to the door by herself, so he stood protectively behind her the entire way. Kyoko used the key Ren had given her earlier to open the door and it was obvious that he was not home yet.

"I'll stay until he gets back," Ryouta stated, prepared to follow her inside the apartment.

Kyoko's good-naturedness automatically surfaced and she turned to bow to him in gratitude. "Thank you for taking care of my today, but you don't have to stay. No one could get in here anyway."

"But…"

"Sato-san, please… I would like to be alone for a while. Besides," she smiled, "this is the great Tsuruga Ren's apartment. It has to be pretty safe…" she said with a hint of sarcasm. _I just need some time to calm down… _

Ryouta's eyes narrowed, but he didn't say anything. Instead, he placed his hand on her head and smiled gently at her. _So stubborn_.

Kyoko gazed up at him in an attempt to reassure him with her unwavering eyes. It wouldn't work, but he decided he would leave anyway.

"Do me a favor and do _not_ go outside alone. At least let Ren take care of you."

Kyoko's small victory lit up her face and she nodded firmly. "Deal!"

When he left, Kyoko locked the door behind Ryouta and slid her back down it until she landed on the floor, where she began shaking. First the incident in the studio and then the ominous letter from a stranger; Kyoko was burnt out. She knew Ren would be coming home soon and she wanted to get it all out of her system before he did. The last thing she wanted was to cause him more worry.

She stood and went to the bathroom to run herself a hot bath to soothe herself. The large mirrors in her bathroom quickly fogged up as steam filled the room, making it feel as if she were in a completely different world and all of her worries were nothing in this new world. It was exactly what she needed to clear her mind and relax to the point that she eventually fell asleep.

* * *

Kyoko awoke to the sound of a closing door and a chilled bath. She leapt out of the water and dressed in record time, hitting the fast-forward button on her motions. _I can't believe I fell asleep! I haven't made dinner! _Her mind screamed at herself and threw the bathroom door open to run to the kitchen.

It was only once she had reached the kitchen that she noticed something off. The lights were off.

Suddenly she was chilled to the bone as reality hit her; Ren was not home and someone was now there or had just left. With shaking fingers, she took hold of a kitchen knife and slowly made her way to the front door. She looked at the lock for any signs of tampering but the door looked normal.

_How… Did I dream it?_ She looked closer. _No…_ her mind was racing as she reached out to lock the door. _I had locked it earlier… Why is it unlocked now?_ She felt someone's presence behind her and she whipped her head around and was shocked by what she saw.

'I told you, I'm watching you Ms. Mogami.' was written on a large note on the wall behind her in the same elegant script as the letter she received earlier. At that moment, the lock on the door began to turn and the knob rattled. Kyoko nearly jumped out of her skin as she screamed and blindly swung her knife.

"Woah!" a man yelled and caught her wrist.

Recognizing his voice, Kyoko's eyes opened wide and landed on a small cut on her beloved's face. Her heart hammered in her chest and tears welled in her eyes. "Ren…" her voice cracked and the knife fell from her hand.

He blinked a few times while he processed what had just happened until he lifted his eyes from Kyoko and to the note. He was frozen to the spot all over again. Kyoko lifted her hand to Ren's cheek to check his cut but it did not register to him that she was touching him.

"What is that…?" he asked flatly.

Kyoko's eyes dropped to the floor, not knowing how to respond. Ren knew that she was hiding something from him and his anger misfired from fear. He dropped his things and pulled her face to his, forcing her to look him in the eyes.

"What is that!?" he demanded, searching her eyes for answers and finding only fear.

He felt completely helpless, a feeling he knew all too well and loathed. He was hopeless when Rick was hit by the car all those years ago and now once again someone he truly cared for was in danger, even under his own roof. Suddenly she felt too far away from him.

"Re-" Kyoko began but was cut off by the force of Ren's kiss. It was no casual welcome home kiss or swift peck, but a means to make sure that she was there and alive. He savored her lips and led her back up against the very wall the cause of the distress came from. Her back pressed up against it and Ren ripped the note down with one hand and wrapped his arm around her waist with the other, pulling her body to his. Kyoko clasped Ren's arms and gasped with the sudden assault, allowing Ren the opportunity to entwine his tongue with hers- exploring, tasting, claiming every bit of her. The two were slowly becoming intoxicated with each other as they exchanged sighs and soaked in each other's growing heat.

Kyoko's mind was in a fog, unable to form coherent thoughts though she knew she was slightly panicked. Ren had never kissed her like this. She could feel his panic and fear, but she could also feel the desire he had for her and it scared her. She wasn't ready, but she couldn't stop kissing him.

Ren's mind too was in the heavens, but he could sense her fear. Deep down he knew he would stop before he went too far, but it would take every ounce of his willpower to do it. He desired this girl and her soft lips and sighs hypnotized him.

"R… Ren…" she almost reflexively breathed into his mouth, causing mixed emotions within him. Hearing his name from her lips fed the fire in him, but noticing the hesitation behind her voice doused that fire with cold water. He groaned and pulled his lips from hers, but pressed their foreheads together. They were both breathing hard in order to calm their pounding hearts.

"I'm sorry… I'm sorry…" Ren repeated, knowing he had gone too far too fast with someone too inexperienced. She wasn't used to the full brunt of his desire. "I love you," he finished with closed eyes.

Kyoko gazed up at his closed eyes, silently admiring the man before her. "I love you too…" she murmured, embarrassed.

Still refusing to look at her lest his willpower crumble, he groaned again and lifted his eyes to the ceiling. "What are you doing to me…" he asked no one in particular.

* * *

Since that night, Ren and Ryouta had taken every precaution to ensure Kyoko's safety, including changing Ren's locks. Ryouta would pick Kyoko up from their doorstep and drop her back off in the same spot. If Ren got home late, Ryouta would keep watch from his car outside until he arrived. It continued like this for a month with no incident and everyone was just beginning to think that things were back to normal when it all went right back downhill.

Ryouta and Kyoko were visiting LME to give Lory an update on the situation when a package was delivered in the middle of the meeting. Lory took it from Sebastian and carefully opened it, examining the contents with a darkening face. He looked up at Kyoko and Ryouta and shook his head.

"This is getting out of hand," he sighed and handed the package to Ryouta, who was sitting beside Kyoko. He dumped the package on the coffee table between all of them, letting at least 40 pictures of Kyoko by herself and with various people spread out.

"Sh*t," what all he could say. He glanced at Kyoko, who had turned as pale as a ghost.

She was staring at the pictures that had been obviously taken over the past month. One in particular stood out to her because it appeared that she was looking directly at the camera. Picking up the picture to take a closer look, she noticed the time stamp was for exactly a week ago.

_At the studio…_ Her mind replayed the entire day in her mind until she arrived at the exact moment of the picture. _A photographer… _she gasped, _that man!_ She recognized him from somewhere, but did not immediately know where.

"I know him…"

Both men turn to look at her, surprised.

"I remember seeing someone with a camera that day, and I didn't think much of it… But now that I think about it, I recognize him from somewhere…" Kyoko trailed off as she tried to remember.

"What did he look like?" Ryouta was the first to speak up.

She closed her eyes and pictured the man as best she could, "Maybe late forties… Nicely dressed… Dark suit… He seemed normal enough, but important." She opened her eyes and shook her head, "I can't remember much else."

Ryouta's mind began to race now and his eyes widened. _No… Maybe!_ "Kyoko! Do you remember about a month we were leaving for work and ran into some strange guy outside?"

Ryouta was pretty good about keeping Kyoko away from strangers lately, so it was easy for her to remember the one time he had lapse in ability. "That guy… It was him!"

Lory looked at Sebastian, who was waiting in the wings, and nodded. Sebastian left to go about accessing the surveillance cameras for Ren's apartment complex. "We'll find him."

A short while later, Sebastian returned with the video of the moment Ryouta and Kyoko both remember, having worked his magic to get what he wants for Lory as always.

All four people watch the video and notice that after Ryouta and Kyoko left the man, another individual approached the stranger. The two chat for a moment and then leave together, finally facing the video camera.

"It's him…" Kyoko murmured, staring at the man on the screen before her.

At those words, the men in the room sprang into action. "We'll find him," Lory repeated his promise.

* * *

**Please review!**


	8. The Truth of the Matter

**Its the middle of the second semester in school and I finally have some days off! Which means I get to write! If any of you guys are still in school, which I am sure most of you are, please remember to be kind to your teachers. They have their bad days just like you do and you have no idea the kind of pressures they are under. Thank you for being you and supporting a simple writer. Please review at the end and tell me what you think about this chapter! Hold on for a rocky ride because it's almost over. I think there will be one more after this to wrap it all up. **

* * *

Ren, Kyoko and the team are on high alert after President Lory is sent a package filled with surveillance pictures of Kyoko taken over the period of a month. They finally gained a lead as to who might be haunting Kyoko, but who really is the mysterious stranger? More importantly, what does he want with her?

* * *

"What the hell!?" A black haired woman yelled questioningly to another with pleading amber eyes.

"I'm so sorry Moko-chan! I should have told you, but I didn't want to worry you!" Kyoko bowed on hands and knees to her beloved best friend.

Kanae was truly upset with Kyoko for hiding all that had transpired in recent months for Kyoko and Ren. She knew that fans were upset with Kyoko for dating Ren, but she had no idea someone was wreaking so much havoc on their life.

"Why didn't you tell me? I might have been able to help," Kanae sighed, but knew full well that there was not much she would have been able to do. She liked to secretly tease Kyoko by making her think she did not care about her that much, but deep down Kyoko was like a sister to Kanae. It was frustrating for her to be kept in the dark about something so dangerous and important.

Kyoko hung her head and Kanae could practically see her sad puppy-dog ears drooping from shame. Finally, she relented her guilt-trip with a deep sigh.

"Well at least tell me you guys have found the guy."

Kyoko balled her fist in a mix of anger and frustration. "No… not yet."

* * *

-One Week Ago-

"We'll find him," Lory repeated his promise. "Leave this to me… I will get to the bottom of this. Just… go about your business as usual." Sebastian ushered Kyoko and Ryouta out of Lory's office at those final words.

Sebastian then returned to his master when the two were gone, who was sitting in his chair in deep thought. "What is that old man thinking…"

Sebastian never showed emotion at work, but he twitched at this. "Do you know something, sir?"

Lory looked up at his faithful servant and shook his head with confusion. "I need you to make a call for me. The answer to this might be more stupidly simple than we thought."

* * *

-Present Time-

A knock sounded on Lory's door at his office before Sebastian entered with a man in a dark suit following closely behind. Lory stood as they entered and approached the man they had been looking for- Kiyoshi Imai.

"Sebastian, make sure no one disturbs us. Give me an hour with him and then we can go meet with them," Lory instructed his servant, knowing he would know just who 'them' was.

"Sir," he said with a bow before turning on his heel and leaving.

With Sebastian gone, Lory showed Kiyoshi to the couch in the oversized office and then sat opposite of him so that he could get a good look at the man causing so much turmoil in a young couple's life. Also, a man that he had not seen in years.

"How did you find me?" Kiyoshi asked with resignation as he lit a cigar, knowing Lory would not mind.

"A surveillance tape from Ren's apartment building had you in it. You may have aged over the years, but I still recognized you." Lory set an ash tray down on the coffee table between them.

"Do the two of them know yet?"

"Ren and Kyoko? No, they don't know. I wanted to figure out what the hell you are up to before I told them I know who was stalking them," Lory lifted an eyebrow expectantly at the man.

Kiyoshi chuckled, "Stalking sounds too… sinister. I like to call it surveillance."

"And this is isn't something sinister? You threated the girl."

"I did no such thing. All I ever said was that I was watching her. I would never hurt that girl," Kiyoshi took a deep draw on his cigar. "Tsuruga-san's fans on the other hand… I had to handle some of them myself," he added with a disgusted shake of his head.

"No? Even after she caused your son to wind up in jail? If that wasn't your driving force then I don't know what it could be." _What motive could he have to mess with Kyoko and Ren?_ His mind was silently racing, calculating.

Kiyoshi scoffed at Lory's words. "Arashi was useless. Our family business soared in Kyoto and he let it go to his head… He thought he was invincible. It was my fault he got involved with Mogami-san in the first place by thinking a marriage would help him sober up. I never thought he had gone so far off the deep end to cook up the plan he did with Saena Mogami."

Lory listened intently, trying to decide if the man's words were sincere. Kiyoshi sounded truly disgusted with his son's actions, which only caused more confusion in Lory's mind. None of it made sense.

"Then why are you here?" Lory finally asked.

Kiyoshi smiled at his old friend and business associate. "Lory, my friend… You and I go way back… I believe the first time we met was when Hizuri-san was in town. His appearance in Kyoto all those years ago is what helped my family grow to what it is today. I owe you and that man… Do you think I would do anything to harm his son?"

_Kuu? What does that have to do with… Oh dear lord._ The pieces were beginning to fall into place.

"Ren… is it?" Kiyoshi smiled with nostalgia, "I remember young Kuon well when he hung around his father's set back then, but I'm glad he doesn't remember me. That would have made this much more difficult."

"What did Kuu tell you to do?" _That idiot._

Kiyoshi reached into his suit pocket and procured the newspaper clipping he had been reading when he left Kyoto that headlined 'Bachelor No More' and set it down beside the ashtray on the table.

"He asked me to help this become true in more ways than one… It was a strange request, but like I said… I owe Hizuri-san." He took another draw on his cigar and set it on the ashtray.

Lory thought about this news for a moment before asking, "More ways than one…?"

It was Kiyoshi's turn to look at Lory with a lifted eyebrow. "Well I'd say they're on the right track… They are living together now after all."

Lory was exasperated. _What is that man thinking!?_ He shook his head at his old acquaintance, "He's going to kill you, you know."

"Hm? Who's that?" Kiyoshi asked, curiosity not leaving any room for fear.

"Ren. I think he's burning to catch who has been messing with Kyoko, and believe me when I say that he is fierce when he's angry." Lory's mind flashed back to Ren's old days as the hotheaded Kuon, aching for a fight. _This wouldn't set him off… But still. _

"Hey now, I didn't come up with this scheme. He just has a father who apparently still dotes on him and adores the girl he is dating. Kuu said he thought the media and crazy fans would slow their relationship to a crawl. He wanted something to happen to make them grow closer," Kiyoshi's eyes reached for the heavens, "I think he's the crazy one in all of this."

Lory sighed deeply, not looking forward the conversation he would have to have once Kiyoshi left. _How in the world am I supposed to tell Ren this was all planned for his sake? This is so… stupid._

* * *

**I know this may seem out of left field, but believe me when I say this really was a planned thing. The vengeful family is so overdone that I wanted to be different. So I am INCREDIBLY curious as to what you guys think... Is this stupid or was it an enjoyable twist? Please review!**


	9. Coming to Terms

**Hi, everyone! I am sorry it has taken so long to update this story. Working as a full time teacher eats up pretty much all of my free time. The only reason I can do this now is because I am off this week. I hope you have enjoyed this story thus far. This is the last full chapter, though there will definitely be an epilogue. I promise I will have that posted by the end of the week if not tonight. Please review and let me know what you think.**

* * *

_President Lory is beyond words upon deducing who the culprit behind the mysterious warnings to Kyoko is- Kiyoshi Imai. Kiyoshi, however, did not act of his own volition as he was given the task to push Ren and Kyoko closer together by none other than Ren's own father, Kuu Hizuri. How is Lory supposed to tell Ren that this was all closer to being a prank than an actual threat to Kyoko? Will Ren's other, darker side emerge due to his anger towards his father or will he be relieved that the woman he loves is no longer in any real danger?_

* * *

"…_I see."_

"I know that you're angry too, but at least she isn't in any real danger," President Lory spoke into his phone, shaking his head for the 100th time since he was informed of Kuu and Kiyoshi's plans.

"_No real danger? He stalked her, took photos of her, broke into Ren's apartment, and gave her enough anxiety to last a lifetime,"_ Ryouta spoke on the other line, his voice rising with each syllable uttered. Lory decided to call him first so that he might be there to help soothe things over at least with Kyoko. He knew that Ren would be a whole other story.

"I know. It's ridiculous and stupid. I never said that I agreed with his methods or can begin to understand what Kuu was thinking, but it is what it is. Now we just need to figure out how to deal with it."

"_I want to meet him," _Ryouta responded with a whisper that betrayed his fury.

Lory looked at his phone and sighed heavily. _This isn't good,_ he thought to himself as he pictured Ryouta meeting Kiyoshi in his current state.

"Maybe after we break the news to the couple," Lory responded, stalling the inevitable meeting between the misguided stalker and overprotective manager.

"_Fine," _Ryouta spoke pointedly, "_but I will get my time with him."_

Again, Lory sighed and leaned back in the chair he was currently sitting in, letting his head fall back in exasperation. _Why did you have to do this, Kuu?_

* * *

Ren looked the phone in his hand with suspicion after talking to the President. Lory called to inform Ren that the perpetrator had been located and the situation was being handled. With all of his years of acting and studying a person's behavior so that he could adapt it to his acting, he could easily recognize when someone was hiding something. President Lory was definitely hiding something from Ren.

"_He wants to see you,_" Lory told Ren during their conversation. It piqued his interest because the President said 'see' instead of 'meet'. He didn't know what this meant, but he knew it couldn't mean anything good.

"I-Is everything okay?" a voice whispered fearfully, her demons swarming towards Ren for a reason she could not tell.

Ren shook off his suspicion and anger upon looking up and meeting with a pair of quivering amber eyes. Finally the relief began to sink in that there was no longer an immediate threat to her safety, and his face warmed as his angelic smile graced his lips.

"Kyoko," he murmured and held out his hand for her to join him on his couch.

Kyoko was immediately frozen to her spot, not expecting his mood to turn so suddenly. Her demons that had inched closer to him to bask in his scowl were now frying under the daze of his tranquil smile. Even after all this time and everything that had transpired, Kyoko could not become accustomed to the direct power of his tender, loving face.

Seeing her not moving, Ren stood and went to her instead. He pulled her body to his and wrapped his arms around her. He himself could not grow used to being allowed to hold her like that and every time he did, it felt like the first time. Luckily for him, he thought to himself, he could at least _act_ like he was composed.

Still, he pulse quickened as he was assaulted with her sweet scent. He closed his eyes, still holding her, and brushed his lips over her hair while breathing deeply. She smelled as sweet as the confections she could so masterfully prepare. It was intoxicating.

"U-Um… Ren?" Kyoko nervously squeaked.

Hearing his name brought Ren from his trance and he put her at arms length, distancing himself more out of necessity than anything else. If he had it his way, he would hold her and never let her go.

"They found the guy who was following you," Ren told her, watching as her face was fearful at once at the thought of the man and then shocked when the full meaning of the news hit her.

"So they have him now?" Kyoko asked, hopefully.

"And we wants to meet us," Ren followed up, his face darkening once more.

At that moment, Kyoko recognized Kuon peeking through Ren's thick persona and her heart began to race. She didn't wish to see Ren lose his composure over something involving her. She couldn't help but blame herself.

In an attempt to quell the fury she saw in his eyes, Kyoko lifted her hand and placed it on Ren's cheek. She was slightly surprised she was able to accomplish that without so much as a tremor of her hand. _Maybe I am getting a bit used to this man…_ her thoughts wondered.

Ren shut his eyes at her touch, savoring any moment she would touch him of her own accord. He felt her thumb brush over his closed eye in the sweetest caress he had ever known. He had been with plenty of women in the past, but none of those encounters could compare to the feelings welling up inside of him in that moment. He took in a deep breath, filled with her sweetness and let it out with all of his anger at the man scaring his Kyoko and all of the desire he knew he would not be able to fulfill until he knew she was ready.

When Ren opened his eyes again, Kyoko could see the clarity in him once more and her heart began to slow.

"I love you," Ren declared.

Her heart was in the race once again.

* * *

Sebastian bowed low to Lory and Kiyoshi upon entering Lory's large office. "They have arrived," he announced to the gentlemen, referring to Ren and Kyoko. It was not until the next day that the two were able to free up some time to meet with Lory and Kyoko's mysterious stalker. Lory was anxious to see how Ren would react once he had heard the entire story, but Kiyoshi acted as if he had not the slightest care in the world.

"He's going to want to kill you, just so you know," Lory deadpanned to his old friend.

"Maybe. In the end, I was just doing his old man a favor." Kiyoshi stood and walked over to the windows overlooking the city life below. "Besides, he did benefit from it. He has that girl living with him now." He turned and smirked at Lory, who was shaking his head in disbelief. "If anything, he should thank me."

At those words, the doors to Lory's office swung open and through them stepped Ren and Kyoko. Their eyes scanned the office until they landed on the only person in the room that was a stranger to them- Kiyoshi. Ren stepped in front of Kyoko protectively and pinned Kiyoshi to the spot with an intense glare.

Kiyoshi chuckled and lifted his hands in surrender, "Easy, boy. I know you're upset, but it's not what you think. There's actually a very interesting story behind all of this."

Ren balled up his fists, "Who are you?"

Kiyoshi bowed to the couple, "My name is Kiyoshi Imai," he began but could not finish. Kyoko gasped when she heard his family name and Ren took a menacing step towards Kiyoshi.

"Imai?" Ren asked, barely above a whisper.

"I remember now… You were there at the omiai with Arata. You- You're his father," Kyoko stated in disbelief.

Kiyoshi recalled their run in with his son and his shoulders sagged. "Yes. My son has caused quite a bit of trouble and I sincerely apologize for that," he responded somberly, bowing once more. "Please understand that I nor the rest of my family had anything to do with that."

The couple stared at him suspiciously, not buying his story.

"I am the one who has been messing with you lately though. I would never do it under normal circumstances, but an old friend contacted me and asked me for my help," Kiyoshi continued, not put off by their obvious mistrust of him. He looked over at Lory for guidance, found none, and looked back at Ren. "I believe you know this friend of mine very well."

Ren's anger slipped into confusion. "Who?"

Kiyoshi looked at Lory once more, who was bracing for the news to hit Ren, before answering with a name that would stun the room into silence for a solid minute. "Your father… Kuu Hizuri." Ren's blood boiled.

* * *

"You mean to tell me that my father orchestrated this entire thing in an attempt to push us closer together?" Ren rhetorically asked, looking ready to blow up.

Kyoko sat next to him and, sensing his boiling rage, placed her hand over his. She was flabbergasted and had not spoken one word since she first found out who her stalker was.

"Yes," Kiyoshi responded with a sigh, tired of the entire ordeal. "Normally this thing would have been so ridiculous that I would have never entertained the thought of going through with it, but I owed your father. He visiting my inn all those years ago made my family the success that it is today. It's not every day that Japan's number one star visits your family business."

Something clicked in Ren's head. "Wait… Your inn in Kyoto?"

Kiyoshi smiled at the memory, realizing Ren had put a certain puzzle piece together. "Yes and you were with him. You may not remember me, but we have met before."

Now Ren realized the meaning behind the President's words when they spoke on the phone the day before. Ren knew Kyoko's stalker too.

The story was too much for Ren. He took in a deep breath, squeezing Kyoko's hand, and let it out with his anger.

"What was that d*mn old man thinking…" Ren looking toward the ceiling of Lory's office for guidance.

"He's an idiot who loves and dotes on his son," Lory responded, puffing on a cigar. "But don't worry… He's getting an earful as we speak." He lifted an eyebrow as he gazed at Ren. "I called your mother."

The corners of Ren's lips curved upward for the first time that day at the picture he had playing in his head. He knew his mother loved Ren and adored Kyoko and she would not go easy on her husband for this.

"Good."

Lory put out his cigar upon hearing Ren's words, knowing the worst of it was over. Ren would still give an earful to his father, but Kiyoshi was safe. _Until he meets Ryouta, _his thoughts corrected. He glanced around at the people before him, "So what now? Mogami-kun doesn't have a stalker anymore and Ren's fans seem to be getting the picture that this isn't something they can stop.

The couple looked at each other and then at their President.

"We'll figure it out."

* * *

**PLEASE WRITE A REVIEW. Someone review it yesterday and that was the only thing that reminded me to finish this story. REVIEWS DO MATTER!**


	10. Epilogue

**This is actually a little emotional for me because this is the end of the story and possibly my fanfic writing. Life is just too crazy to commit to writing another story. But who knows what the future holds... ;) Thank you so much for sticking through to the end and reading this story from start to finish. You don't know how grateful I truly am. Please let me know what you think of it. Thank you for these past few years of writing. Everyone's reviews have meant the world to me. Stay amazing! **

* * *

**\- 3 Years Later –**

Kanae finished pinning a pearl beaded embroidered white veil to the now black hair of her best friend. She stepped back to admire her handiwork as Muse put on the finishing touches to the bride's make up, twisting a strand of stray hair so that it curled back into place.

"There… Beautiful," Muse concluded, taking in her and Kanae's work.

"A-Are you sure? I don't have Princess Rosa's magic with me…" Kyoko nervously questioned, not yet allowed to look in the mirror.

Muse and Kanae exchanged a glance, Muse smirking and Kanae rolling her eyes.

"Kyoko," Kanae sighed, "You do realize you don't need that necklace."

"B-But…" Kyoko tried to begin, but Muse held up her hand to cut her off.

"You've been nominated for top actress of the year and your fans have grown exponentially over the past few years," Muse spoke matter-of-factly. "People love you and reporters can't stop talking about your ability to transform for every role."

Kyoko blushed, still not believing that so much had happened over the past few years. Her mind wandered back to Ren's proposal.

* * *

**\- 1 year before –**

"Kyoko, you know you don't have to make so much food," Ren eyed her meal with trepidation.

"This isn't too much for your birthday…" Kyoko replied stubbornly. "I just want today to be perfect for you." _I'll never let myself live down messing up the first time I celebrated his birthday! _Kyoko recalled getting the date wrong for Ren's birthday.

Ren stepped up behind her as she chopped vegetables at their counter and wrapped his arms around her waist. Kyoko had permanently moved in with him a year after the stalking incident. He had never wanted her to move out afterward, but she thought it was too fast for them. She only moved back in when she realized she spent most of her free time at his apartment anyway, at least that's how Ren put it.

Being so much taller than her, Ren placed his chin on the top of Kyoko's head and sighed. "You do too much. Just having you here is enough for a present."

She set the knife down and tilted her head back so that she could look up at him.

"Really…?" Her eyes voiced her unspoken concerns. They had been a couple for 2 years and she still felt like she was not good enough for him.

"Really…" His eyes danced with mirth, "Though I do still enjoy that lamb pillow." He chuckled as he watched a blush crawl up her neck. He teased her about it whenever given the chance because he knew she was self-conscious of her present. In truth, he adored the present more than any other he had received.

Kyoko pouted at the poke he made at her until she observed Ren's face become serious.

"Kyoko…" His dark eyes never left hers and conveyed everything she needed to know; she was treasured and loved. He brought a hand underneath her chin and bent down to pull her lips to his.

The kiss was brief, but Kyoko's lips burned in its wake.

"Kyoko, I'm in love with you," Ren stated, still staring down at his beloved.

She blushed and her lips upturned in shy happiness. "I know…"

He released her from his embrace and stepped back away from her so that she could turn to face him. The atmosphere grew intense and Kyoko could not deduce why or what Ren was working up to say. She watched as his steady gaze changed from tender to determined.

"Kyoko, I need you to hear me out," he began, "Let me say everything I need to say before you respond."

She brought her hands together and clasped them at her chest, a signal Ren knew meant that she was nervous. She nodded sharply, determined to listen closely to his every word.

Ren took a deep breath and began the speech he had practiced in his head for the past month.

"Kyoko, I am in love with you. I want you… I want to give you happiness. I want to give you love every day, because you _deserve_ to be loved. You deserve to live each day knowing that there is someone out there who would do anything just to make you look their way." He paused, gauging her reaction. Her hands at her chest were trembling, but she said nothing.

"When we met again at LME, we butted heads. I was stubbornly caught in my own world with a set of ideals you blew out of the water. You were a whirlwind that I couldn't escape and I fell right under your spell," Ren grinned as the memories came flooding back: him kicking her out of LME, the two arguing, him carrying her when she broke her foot, him being taken care of when sick, all of their bickering, seeing her first performance as Mio, resting his head on her lap at Karuizawa, and everything since and in between.

He shook off the memories and continued.

"I loved you when we were kids and fell for you again as an adult. I fought my urges to touch you with all of my will power. And believe me, it was tested," his eyes narrowed as more memories flooded in: meeting Sho, hearing about Reino and how Sho had saved her, her showing up to the Dark Moon party with Kijima, and her omiai with Arata.

"…And yet now I can touch you all I want," he stated as he lifted his hand and twisted a lock of her hair around his finger. She was frozen in place, a shiver running up her spine in an excited and overwhelming premonition. He was going somewhere with all of this, and her mind wouldn't let her believe what she thought he was doing.

His eyes bore into her as he played with the hair trapped in his fingers. "I'm not going to let you go, Kyoko." He let go of her hair, "You broke my curse by giving my life some much needed perspective and light…" His thoughts wandered to his near crash while filming for Dark Moon and how Kyoko had pulled him from the darkness.

Once again he shook the memories from his mind, focusing on the task at hand.

"I chased you all the way to Kyoto because I knew I couldn't let you go. Not at least before you knew how I felt. You had to know that you had someone who spent so much of his time thinking about you. After everything, I had to at least _try _to make you mine… I told myself to prepare to fail and be turned down. My heart was prepared for the worst," his gaze clouded as he remembered all the times he stopped himself from trying to move their relationship forward out of fear of losing her completely. Something was better than nothing. _But…_

"Then you said you loved me too…" he chuckled, "I think the world actually stopped for a minute when it sunk in." _'To… to have… feelings for you is inexcusable…!' is how she put it, but who cares_ Ren laughed again but turned serious again so that he could finish. He took one more deep breath and spoke slowly, watching her face for any sign of a response.

"I'm not going to let you go when I know you feel the same…" he stepped forward and grasped her shaking hand, "so marry me."

With his free hand, he reached into his pocket and procured a velvety black box. He let go of her hand so that he could open the box and reveal the most beautiful ring Kyoko had ever seen. His eyes never left her face as she took in the sight before her and replayed his speech in her head, tears filling hers more with each passing moment. By the time they lifted to meet his scorching gaze, they had filled to the brim and spilled down her cheeks.

Her answer was barely a whisper and shook with emotion, "Yes."

Ren's eyes flickered with a million emotions at once: love, relief, excitement, humility, joy, desire. He felt like crying and laughing all at one. Instead, he pulled her to him and did just what he promised- didn't let her go.

* * *

**\- Present Time –**

Kyoko's face heated at the memory of their first night of deep intimacy. He always took things slow with her, but that night he admitted he couldn't fight it anymore. _Ahhhhhh! _Her thoughts screamed, _stop thinking about that! I can't be blushing right now! I need to get it together!_

Her friends lowered her white dress so that she could step into it without messing up her make-up. As they zipped it and snapped the buttons running up her spine in place, she finally got to look at herself in a mirror.

She had dyed her hair back to black for the wedding, which Ren was not aware of yet. It was now long enough to hang to her waist, but it was currently curled and styled in an elegant up do. Her pure white veil was a stark contrast to the black of her hair, which made the pearls stand out even more. The dress she was now buttoned into was a princess style wedding dress with crystals and more pearls along the bodice and train. It was exactly what she could picture a real princess wearing, and at the moment she felt like she was one.

She normally would never choose something like that for herself due to her stingy spending habits, but with Ren's encouragement and Lory's tendency for overabundance, she now wore the dress of her dreams for her western-style wedding.

Kanae looked down at her phone and smiled, "Kyoko, its time."

"Moko-san…" Kyoko looked at her best friend for mental support. There was a room full of people important to her waiting and she couldn't help but feel nervous.

"Don't worry. He's waiting for you," Kanae smiled and patted Kyoko's shoulder. "Now go!" she said with a push.

Kyoko stumbled at first, but took a deep breath and went to where she was meant to wait until going down the aisle. Kanae and Muse passed her and went in to the chapel to take their seats. Kyoko's ears then perked up when she heard a sweet melody begin that signaled the start of her journey toward her soon-to-be-husband.

Ren turned and took in his soon-to-be-wife, losing his ability to breathe. To him, everyone else disappeared as Kyoko walked slowly toward him. His face transformed into his angelic smile and she smiled at him in return. When she reached him, he held out his hand and she placed hers in it.

The audience watched with excitement. Ren's parents sat on one of the front rows, holding each other's hands. It had taken a while for Ren to forgive his parents for his dad's schemes, but he knew he wouldn't stay upset forever. In the end, it did push Ren and Kyoko closer.

Lory and Maria sat a few rows back, Maria with hearts in her eyes for her favorite couple and Lory with pride on his face. Ren was almost like a son to him, and seeing Ren so happy and completing his journey to forgiving and accepting himself filled Lory with an overwhelming joy, though he'd never let anyone truly see what he was thinking.

The Darumaya couple sat on the aisle opposite Ren's parents with Sayuri, as they were the closest to parents Kyoko had. Taisho was grinning and Okami was wiping tears from her eyes. To them, she was the daughter they never had. Sayuri passed a tissue to Okami as she wiped her own tears away with her free hand.

There were several in attendance from Kyoko's acting experiences. Yukihito was fangirling to himself next to Ryouta, Hiou sat next to Kanae, Momose watched on in admiration and defeat, the members of Bridge Rock had slightly broken hearts, Sawara stared in wonder out how far Kyoko had come, the cast of Box R who had become her friends over time, and many others she had grown close with. Each person would bring a new memory to Kyoko's mind when she looked at them. However, for now her eyes were only for one person.

"Are you ready?" Ren mouthed to Kyoko with a smile.

She closed her eyes momentarily and thought back on her life and all that had transpired. For a moment her mind wandered to Sho and she smiled knowing if she had never known him, she would have never met Ren.

She was unaware that Sho was currently leaning against the outside wall of the chapel with a satisfied smile on his own face. He knew he had lost the girl he had fallen for after shoving her away, and he had come to accept it. He was just thankful she was finally happy.

When her eyes opened, Ren could tell she held no doubts.

"Yes."

When their vows finished and Ren was told to kiss his bride, he lifted Kyoko's veil with a tremor in his hands that gave way to his façade. To everyone else, Ren was calm and collected. To Kyoko, there was a storm in his eyes as he fought the feelings overwhelming him. He'd had his own long journey and once thought he never deserved such happiness. Now, surrounded by those he called friends and gazing into Kyoko's eyes, the happiness was almost too much.

The kiss was searing but did not last longer than appropriate. When Ren pulled away, he noticed Kyoko's slight smile and chuckle.

"What?" he asked her, hiding his voice in the thunderous applause.

"Nothing… I was just wondering what my name is going to be now. Kyoko Tsuruga or Kyoko Hizuri…" She chuckled again at their secret conversation. No one new knew about Ren's true identity, not even Kanae.

Ren joined in her quiet laughter, "We'll figure it out."

Kyoko nodded with a smile, "We only have forever to decide."

At that, Ren dipped down for another kiss and the crowd's cheers grew louder.

_**The End**_


End file.
